Shouldn't really use the group for my own news, but it's quiskest, especially as one or two may be expecting to hear from me. I hope to be in touch soon, but am slightly embattled. A nightmarish house clearance left me with two rather nasty injuries, one of which has more or less lost the sight in my left eye. Well, I always wanted to sing Wotan... The good news is that they think it will clear up eventually, as also the injured left foot -- it's the antibiotics for that which have knocked me out. And the wrenched right shoulder...

However, I've continued to work when I can, so I have a review of a new DVD of Das Liebesverbot (not that good) coming up in BBC Music, and a Composer of the Month article on Wagner, looking at the two sides of him presented in Joachim Koch's books. Don't know exactly when yet, as the editor, a very distinguished organist, has also broken his ankle... It's a man's life being a music critic.

One last bit of news -- at this year's Edinburgh Festival they're continuing their Ring, with Walkure, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis with Christine Goerke, Bryn Terfel and Simon O'Neill. Hopefully this will be broadcast.

Post by Mike Scott RohanShouldn't really use the group for my own news, but it's quiskest, especially as one or two may be expecting to hear from me. I hope to be in touch soon, but am slightly embattled. A nightmarish house clearance left me with two rather nasty injuries, one of which has more or less lost the sight in my left eye. Well, I always wanted to sing Wotan... The good news is that they think it will clear up eventually, as also the injured left foot -- it's the antibiotics for that which have knocked me out. And the wrenched right shoulder...However, I've continued to work when I can, so I have a review of a new DVD of Das Liebesverbot (not that good) coming up in BBC Music, and a Composer of the Month article on Wagner, looking at the two sides of him presented in Joachim Koch's books. Don't know exactly when yet, as the editor, a very distinguished organist, has also broken his ankle... It's a man's life being a music critic.One last bit of news -- at this year's Edinburgh Festival they're continuing their Ring, with Walkure, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis with Christine Goerke, Bryn Terfel and Simon O'Neill. Hopefully this will be broadcast.Trust you're all a damn sight better than I am,Cheers,Mike

Goodness, Mike. Sounds like you've had it rough lately. I hope everything recovers, eye and all. Maybe afterwards, you can take a nice, cathartic sledgehammer to whatever pieces of furniture did you in, a la Stephen King.

Too bad about that Liebesverbot. We could use a good one, but I doubt we'll see one any time soon.

As for me, I've been spending more time reading than listening to opera lately. I've almost finished the Discworld series, which I picked up in 2015, and recently I started in on Wodehouse. I had read some Jeeves & Wooster before, but I'm really enjoying the Blandings saga more.

Post by Mike Scott RohanShouldn't really use the group for my own news, but it's quiskest, especiallyas one or two may be expecting to hear from me. I hope to be in touch soon,but am slightly embattled. A nightmarish house clearance left me with tworather nasty injuries, one of which has more or less lost the sight in myleft eye. Well, I always wanted to sing Wotan... The good news is that theythink it will clear up eventually, as also the injured left foot -- it's theantibiotics for that which have knocked me out. And the wrenched rightshoulder...However, I've continued to work when I can, so I have a review of a new DVDof Das Liebesverbot (not that good) coming up in BBC Music, and a Composer ofthe Month article on Wagner, looking at the two sides of him presented inJoachim Koch's books. Don't know exactly when yet, as the editor, a verydistinguished organist, has also broken his ankle... It's a man's life beinga music critic.One last bit of news -- at this year's Edinburgh Festival they're continuingtheir Ring, with Walkure, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis with ChristineGoerke, Bryn Terfel and Simon O'Neill. Hopefully this will be broadcast.Trust you're all a damn sight better than I am,Cheers,Mike

Moving is a dangerous job, Mike! Astrid and I do hope that yourrecovery will be complete and soon. All best wishes to you and Deb.

Post by Herman van der WoudeMoving is a dangerous job, Mike! Astrid and I do hope that yourrecovery will be complete and soon. All best wishes to you and Deb.--Met vriendelijke groet,Cheers,Herman van der Woude

Thanks to you all for your good wishes! At least they've stopped the antibiotics today, which were making me feel awful in themselves, so it's just a matter of healing. And it did give me the chance to watch the rest of Opera North's Ring, albeit slightly spaced out ( me, that is). I do agree with many listeners that the casting in particular is very mixed, but it's amazing that they found so many choices for these roles. Opera North is really a small, provincial company, with a budget that seems minuscule alongside most German or even American local companies, and it can't afford to hire many of the big guns. I lived more or less alongside it for ten years, even could have ended up working there, and the standards it has kept up are impressive. I still remember a Boris Godunov with native son Sir John Tomlinson, and Verdi's Atilla, likewise, both among the most living, vivid performances I've seen anywhere. I see something of that in the Ring, though less perfect, with more inner life than a lot of what crosses my desk, from Bayreuth to the Kirov -- and they can also come royally unstuck. And some individual singers, such as Lars Cleveman and Kathleen Broderick (amazingly like Rita Hunter, if slightly less incisive vocally), I'd gladly hear again soon.

Post by Herman van der WoudeMoving is a dangerous job, Mike! Astrid and I do hope that yourrecovery will be complete and soon. All best wishes to you and Deb.--Met vriendelijke groet,Cheers,Herman van der Woude

Thanks to you all for your good wishes! At least they've stopped theantibiotics today, which were making me feel awful in themselves, so it's justa matter of healing. And it did give me the chance to watch the rest of OperaNorth's Ring, albeit slightly spaced out ( me, that is). I do agree with manylisteners that the casting in particular is very mixed, but it's amazing thatthey found so many choices for these roles. Opera North is really a small,provincial company, with a budget that seems minuscule alongside most Germanor even American local companies, and it can't afford to hire many of the bigguns. I lived more or less alongside it for ten years, even could have endedup working there, and the standards it has kept up are impressive. I stillremember a Boris Godunov with native son Sir John Tomlinson, and Verdi'sAtilla, likewise, both among the most living, vivid performances I've seenanywhere. I see something of that in the Ring, though less perfect, with moreinner life than a lot of what crosses my desk, from Bayreuth to the Kirov --and they can also come royally unstuck. And some individual singers, such asLars Cleveman and Kathleen Broderick (amazingly like Rita Hunter, if slightlyless incisive vocally), I'd gladly hear again soon.Anyhow, all best!Cheers,Mike

Post by PeterHello,I also want to add my very best wishes for a speedy recovery for you, and Isincerely hope that you will be completely functional in the very near term.And remember with all of the Regie Theater performances you can surely singWotan with two eyes, so once more, do make a very complete recovery in aminimum of time.Also wish my very best to Deb,Peter U.

Thanks, Peter, to you and Marge -- things could be worse, indeed, and I'm getting about after a fashion. At least I'm limping on a different leg from last year!

You're absolutely right about the Regietheater, although I wouldn't want to dress as badly as most Wotans are made to these days. No, one eye still seems right -- although even in the old days it was represented in very different ways. Most often it was an eyepatch, but at New Bayreuth they sometimes just glued on some extra-long eyelashes, while at Covent Garden I remember seeing Messrs McIntyre and Ward sporting magnificent black eyes -- merely greasepaint, of course, but as they both looked like formidable brawlers at the best of times, it created a suitably wild impression. I can testify that I'd rather not have an eye blanked out on stage, with the lack of depth perception; it might even account for Hotter's famous fall (off his own set, too) in one short-lived ROH Ring!